


Eye to Eye

by Myqueenmarceline



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic, F/F, Fighting, Fluff and Angst, Multi, Verbal Disagreements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:08:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26514955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myqueenmarceline/pseuds/Myqueenmarceline
Summary: Joss wanted to spend a quiet night in with her girlfriends, but she walks in on a fight...
Relationships: Joss Carter/Root | Samantha Groves, Joss Carter/Root | Samantha Groves/Sameen Shaw, Joss Carter/Sameen Shaw, Root | Samantha Groves/Sameen Shaw
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	Eye to Eye

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to nebula-gaster for beta reading this!
> 
> I had no idea if I was going to have something up this week, but today I managed to find the motivation to finish this! I hope y'all like it
> 
> Also: my gf has suggested the ship name for these three should be "shooter" and honestly, it works for me.
> 
> (In case anyone is curious, I got the idea of Root quoting the movie as it's playing from something I do when I'm rewatching one of my favourites. I usually don't say it out loud, but I mouth along the words. Also she is 115% the type to cheerily hate herself, and you can not convince me otherwise.)

Joss smiled to herself as she pulled up to a familiar library. Thanks to a bit of help from John, she’d finally cracked the case that had been bugging her all week. There was still paperwork to file, but Joss had figured she could afford to go home instead of putting in overtime. Taylor was sleeping over at a friend’s place, which meant she could spend a bit of time with her girlfriends before heading home.

She’d stopped by that sandwich place Sameen always liked, and picked up hot sandwiches for all three of them. They would probably be lukewarm by the time she got there, but she was used to the New York traffic at this point. She was just happy to be heading home at six instead of ten; most of the time her work at the precinct had an unfortunate tendency to kill her social life. She bobbed her head in time with the music playing on the radio, looking forward to having a quiet night in for once.

Her ideas of domestic bliss stayed with her until she got up to the floor with the entrance to the library. There were voices coming from behind the door. One was a bit louder than the other, tense and angry. It sounded like Sameen. Joss stepped closer, catching a line of the argument.

“There’s no way it’s like that!” Sameen sounded even more tense than usual, and Joss could just picture the way her jaw would be clenching right now.

She had her own set of keys courtesy of Finch, but she still knocked before using them. It might have been a bad call, but sneaking up on two highly trained assassins was never a good idea. “Hey, it’s me.”

She leaned in and tilted her head, but she couldn’t hear anything going behind the door any more. She opened the door slowly, then stepped into the main room. Sameen and Root were standing near each other, but not quite touching. Sameen’s hands were clenched into fists and hanging by her side, while Root’s arms were crossed over her chest.

“Is something going on?” She asked, closing the door with her foot and lifting the bag of food higher as Bear came trotting over. His tail was wagging like usual, and Joss relaxed a little. Pets were usually a good indicator of serious domestic disputes, and if Bear was fine then there was less to worry about.

“Oh no, Sameen and I were just talking about something.” Root’s smile was still as unreadable as ever, but judging by the subtle tension in her posture she was unhappy about something. Sameen wasn’t looking directly at her, but Joss could see the muscles in her shoulders tense.

Joss paused for a moment, looking at both of them skeptically. “Okay then.”

She decided to just let it slide for now. They were their own people, and they spent a lot more time with each other than Joss did. It made sense that they would have private arguments, especially since they were both cooped up in the library to get away from Samaritan’s prying eyes.

“I’ll go get some plates.” Sameen stood up, walking into a kitchen with calm, measured steps. If Joss hadn’t seen the way she normally walked so much, she wouldn’t have noticed how scripted it looked. Whatever she had interrupted must have been pretty serious, but digging a bullet out of Sameen’s side would probably be easier than getting her to open up about it.

“How was your day, honey?” Root asked, turning up the charm in her smile. She stood up and came close to Joss, kissing her cheek.

Joss rested one hand on her lower back, and gave her a quick kiss. “It was alright. Finally got an arrest warrant for a case, and linked him to another murder from three months ago.”

“Good job, sweetheart.” Root headed over to the couch, sprawling across it even though she knew she would have to move in a few seconds when Joss came to sit down. “I knew you’d get it.”

“I’m sure you did.” Joss lifted up one of Root’s legs and sat down, letting it drape across her lap. She usually didn't like it when her partners did things like this, but after awhile she’d figured out that it was Root’s way of showing she cared. Joss rested one hand on Root’s knee, rubbing it a bit as she checked her phone.

Sameen brought the plates back—disposable, of course—and Joss opened up the bag of food. Once everything was served out, Sameen took her plate and headed over to the armchair nearby. Joss knew she wasn’t nearly as touchy as Root, so she didn’t push it. She just brushed her fingers against Sameen’s arm, offering her a warm smile. Sameen’s smile back was thin, but at least it was there.

After a few minutes of scrolling through Netflix for something to watch, they settled on _Alien_. Joss wasn’t usually a fan of science-fiction—she solved enough difficult puzzles at work—but when Root’s eyes lit up, she caved. She was here to spend time with her girlfriends, and she wasn’t picky about how they did it.

Joss hadn’t seen _Alien_ in awhile, and it was better than she had remembered. It actually had a few funny moments, though most of the movie was saturated in a dark, moody atmosphere. Sameen seemed to enjoy it too, though Joss was pretty sure that was just because of Ripley.

If Joss wasn’t so used to jump scares from working with Reese, she might have been more reactive. As it was she barely flinched, but since Root was practically in her lap she could still feel it. She would rub Joss’ shoulder every time it happened, but judging by the smile on her face she thought it was funny.

The creepiest part of watching the movie was honestly Root. Whenever she got really into a scene she began saying the lines along with each characters, pitching her voice to match theirs. The movie was already tense, but hearing a whisper echoing the characters’ voices right next to her ear only made it worse.

Thankfully the three of them made it through the movie in one piece, even if the characters didn’t. Joss watched the spaceship drift off into the void, then glanced over at Root. She looked very pleased with herself, lounging over Joss with her arms stretched across the back of the couch like a smug cat.

When the credits had been rolling for a minute or two, Joss decided to speak. “So, what were you two talking about earlier?”

“Nothing important,” Root said flippantly, waving her hand. “Just a little lovers’ quarrel over a difference of opinion.”

Joss looked over at Sameen. Even in the dim light of the room, she could see that Sameen had folded her arms.

“Are you sure about that?” She asked.

Before Sameen could say anything, Root spoke again. “Oh yes, we’re very sure.”

Joss sighed, gently pushing Root away. “Look, I don’t want to play games. Can you two just tell me what it is? Maybe I can help figure out a compromise.” She patted the seat next to her, encouraging Sameen to come closer.

Sameen got up, putting her trash on the coffee table with the other empty plates. She sat down next to Joss, putting one hand on her leg. Joss rested her hand on top of it, but didn't try to grab it. If Sameen had wanted to hold hands, she would have grabbed it.

Joss waited, but neither of them seemed eager to begin talking. Joss had spent years working as an interrogator, but it was her motherly experience she decided to draw on. She spoke in a gentle tone, looking at Root and Sameen in turn. “So, what’s going on?”

“I said something that made Sameen mad, even if it’s just a fact.” Root was looking right at Joss, but there was something fake in her smile.

“It isn’t true!” Sameen said forcefully, beginning to lean over Joss so she could get in Root’s face.

Joss held up her hand firmly. Sameen grunted unhappily, but backed down. Joss turned back to Root, trying her best to project a sense of calm. “What did you say?”

“That I don’t deserve either of you.” Root’s cheery tone still sounded unsettlingly genuine, and she barrelled on while Joss and Sameen just stared at her. “With Sameen I can at least understand it since we’re both technically dead, and dating options are limited. But why you, Joss? Why do you spend time with me? I’m not very good company, and I’m bad at caring for people. You and Sameen could be happy together, and I wouldn’t have to keep dragging you down.”

“Okay, I think I get the idea.” Joss reached out, and set a hand on Root’s shoulder.

Root closed her mouth, and Joss took a moment to think. She knew Root and Sameen had, to put it mildly, a few issues. It took a special kind of mindset to be able to work as an assassin, and part of that involved a certain accepting of your own mortality and disposability. Still, she hadn’t realized that Root felt that way.

The best thing to do would probably be to scope out the depth of the issue. “How long have you felt this way?”

“Oh, since before we started dating.” Root’s casual tone was clearly irritating Sameen, but Joss tried her best to focus on the words instead.“The machine chose me for a higher purpose, but on a personal level I’m not a good partner, or even a good friend.”

“I see.” Joss could feel Sameen’s hand squeezing her thigh even harder, and she gently ran her thumb over the back of it. “If you think that’s true, then why did we ask to be with you too? I care about you, and I know Sameen does too.”

Root shrugged, her smile growing a bit more strained. “I tricked you into liking me somehow. It’s not that hard. If I unconsciously want love, I might not even be aware that I’m manipulating you. It could just be part of who I am.”

Joss frowned, and held out her hand. Root stared down at it for a moment, then tentatively put her hand in Joss’. Joss laced their fingers together, squeezing her hand gently.

“Can you listen to me for a second?” Joss asked.

Root nodded.

“Okay, good. I understand where you’re coming from Root, but it’s hurtful to me when you dismiss my and Sameen’s feelings for you as manipulation.” Joss wasn’t fully familiar with the couples’ counselling recommendations for confrontation, but she’d skimmed over some of the theory for a case awhile back. “From the first time we met I thought you were attractive. True, it took me some time to actually get together with you, but most relationships involve building up a personal connection. I like you and Sameen. Even if we have different things we like to do together, you’re both my partners.” Joss smiled gently at Root, continuing even though her girlfriend’s smile had faded. “I get that you can’t just change your whole way of thinking in one day, and that’s alright. I just want you to know that I’ll be here for you, and I want to be with you.”

Root let out a watery chuckle, pulling her knees up so they were curled against her chest. “We might not have a very long time, honey. In case you haven’t noticed, Sameen and I are wanted women.”

“Then I’ll be with you two for as long as I can, and remember you when you’re gone.” Joss sighed. She was no stranger to loss, but losing her girlfriends was still a daunting prospect to think about.

Well, there was no point in dwelling on the “what-ifs”. Joss was here now, and so were they. She would take whatever she could get, and keep them close for as long as she could.

“Sameen?” Joss turned, looking Sameen in the eye. “Sorry, I kind of took over for a bit there. Did you have anything else you wanted to say?”

She shook her head. “No, you pretty much covered it. There’s only one thing I wanted to add.” She looked over at Root, but Joss kept her eyes on Sameen. “It’s hard for me to care about people. The last guy I cared about… Well, he was retired by the agency. So hearing you say that I don't actually like you, or that somehow my feelings are fake really pisses me off. Don’t do it again.”

“Sorry sweetie.” Root smiled sheepishly, moving a bit closer. She pressed against Joss’s side, leaning over her to touch Sameen’s face. Sameen let her brush some of her hair away, then pressed her face into Root’s hand as she held her cheek.

Joss watched them fondly, not at all surprised when Root kissed Sameen. She didn’t mind watching them, but seeing them so close was a bit much for her right now. She gently pushed Root, encouraging her to move over Joss. She climbed into Joss’ lap, setting in so she was straddling Joss’ waist.

Well, Joss could work with that. She grabbed the blanket folded on the edge of the couch, and pulled it over both of them. Sameen grabbed the opposite corner, moving a bit closer so she would be under it too.

Joss sat up a bit straighter as she felt Sameen’s strong arm wrap around her waist, then settled back down again as Root leaned against her. Root pursed her lips, and Joss chuckled and nodded. She happily kissed Root, a shiver going down her spine as she felt Sameen press her face into her neck and kiss it.

As they all settled down into the perfect pile for cuddling, Joss sighed happily. Now this was what she’d been expecting when she came over. She closed her eyes, basking in the soothing warmth. She didn’t mind a bit of chaos, but it was nice to be able to relax every once in a while.


End file.
